NL West

The Colorado Rockies need to get off to a quick start.

It's a story that's been written a hundred times. However, it's been written so many times because of the fact that this group of baseball players seem to play their best when they are seemingly out of the race.

In 2010, it seemed like a breath of fresh air to Rockies fans when the club went 11-12 in April.

That being said, 11-12 is not very good for a team looking to make a statement, but compared to previous years it seemed like a hot start.

The San Francisco Giants have this division in the bag.

Or at least they should.

The Giants won the World Series on the strength of their pitching and timely hitting. With the players still on roster and some other additions, San Francisco should be able to reproduce most of its success from 2010.

COLORADO ROCKIES

Last Year: 83-79, 3rd in NL West

Manager: Jim Tracy

PROJECTED LINEUP

C—Chris Iannetta (R)

1B—Todd Helton (L)

2B—Jose Lopez (R) 

3B—Ian Stewart (L)

SS—Troy Tulowtizki (L)

LF—Carlos Gonzalez (L)

CF—Dexter Fowler (S)

RF—Seth Smith (L)

Joe Saunders, the man who wept when he was traded to the Diamondbacks, has made fans weep this entire spring, and last night was the biggest cry-fest of all.  In a game that Saunders needed to pitch well he fell flat. 

After being inconspicuously omitted when Kirk Gibson was naming the starters earlier in the week the pressure was on Saunders to have a quality outing and show that he deserves to be one of the five.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Last Year: 65-97, 5th in NL West 

Manager: Kirk Gibson

PROJECTED LINEUP

C- Miguel Montero (L)

1B- Juan Miranda (L)

2B- Kelly Johnson (L) 

3B- Melvin Mora (R)

SS- Stephen Drew (L)

LF- Xavier Nady (R)

CF- Chris Young (R)

RF- Justin Upton (R)

Preview

An injury to a starter before the season even starts is never a good sign.

However, the 2011 San Francisco Giants are one of the few teams this year that can absorb the blow.

Blessed with incredible outfield depth and player versatility, there is no reason to believe that the current personnel can't hold down the fort for the first two weeks of the season.